Smells Like Festival Spirit

Coming from a “conservative family,” it shouldn’t surprise anyone that Twenty One Pilots’ lead vocalist/songwriter Tyler Joseph used to scan the radio for musical inspiration. The lead track off 2013’s Vessel, “Ode To Sleep,” feels like someone shifting through the radio dial, drifting from head bopping electronica to catchy indie pop and morphing into hiphop, until settling on an epic power-pop anthem. Joseph was an outsider to the music business. When he had enough money, he invested in recording equipment, learning techniques on his own. Three albums and one EP later, Joseph and his Twenty One Pilots partner Josh Dun faced a major decision this past summer: whether to pursue a traditional tour or hop on the music festival circuit. Joseph felt like he made the right decision after he played Bonnaroo, his first-ever festival, this year. “Everyone is there for the spirit of music,” he says. “A crowd of people is much more interesting. If you go onstage and just go through the motions, they can smell it on you. You have to work hard for them.” And, Joseph is working hard for them. By using a music studio on his touring bus, he can write songs for a forthcoming album that is sure to be eclectic, diverse and sonically intriguing.